Viewing page 120 of 295

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

0535
Wash. D.C. Set 16-1866-

On the night of Thursday Aug 30/1866, being in attendance at Camp Meeting, in Shipley's Woods near Hanover Switch Md (A Arundel Co), I was requested by the Rev Jno Lanahan Residing Elder in Charge of the Camp, to superintend affairs during the night, he compelled to leave for Baltimore. I consented - After the preaching at the stand at 7½ P.M. a Prayer meeting was entered upon. About 11½ P.M. having taken refreshment of coffee at a tent, I started for the meeting to find a Bro minister for purpose of directing him for like refreshment - on nearing right side of the 'Preachers' stand I observed a commotion in rear of the Stand on ground appropriated for accomodation of such negroes as might attend the Camp. One of the rules of the Camp adopted at a meeting of the Preachers' & Tent holders of the meeting, and publicly announced from the stand was that "There should be no mixture of the Whites & Colored people" & according to this rule no whites should have been found intruding upon said ground in rear of stand. I went into a crowd of white men gathered [[strikethrough]] in [[/strikethrough]] on said spot & found it to consist of several [[strikethrough]] saveral [[/strikethrough]] managers of the Camp. (Messrs Downs & Shipley, Hanover Switch, Md) & some twenty five or thirty other white men or more. Several of these were talking loudly, swearing at & against the negroes - threatening them - I noticed in the same darkness two especially, one who seemed to me some what intoxicated (whose name I have since learned, is Harmon) and another smaller man with light sack coat & nearly white, round top, felt hat. The former of the two said among other things that "no damn nigger should strike him." The latter also was cursing them I heard him exclaim "I'm a Democrat & my father was a Democrat." They both seemed very anxious to get at the negroes. Insisted on taking vengeance on them - The small man had, I think, a rough stick in his hand. I talked to & reasoned with them to no purpose. These seemed to be the prominent actors, though the spirit of very many seemed to coincide with these. [[strikethrough]] many made [[/strikethrough]] Quite a number made such remarks as "Murder the damn niggers" - "drive them off" - "They've no business here, etc." They seemed anxious to get at them and drive them off, & were constantly gathering strength in numbers, and determination to attack the blacks & were very slowly edging towards them. The managers made like efforts with myself to keep them back & get them to retire into the  Circle of the white camp - in doing this we stood in front of white men and between them & blacks. [[strikethrough]] I thought some [[?]] of the whites also were looking on from curiosity perhaps [[/strikethrough]] 

After talking for some 20 minutes to the whites, I approached the blacks - Several tents of theirs were standing some 50 or 60 feet in rear of